National Museum of African American History and Culture (Smithsonian)

The National Museum of African American History and Culture was created in 2003 by an Act of Congress, establishing it as part of the Smithsonian Institution. The museum is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, art, history and culture. The museum opened Sept. 24, 2016, and is located between the Washington Monument and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.

The museum is building a collection designed to illustrate the major periods of African American history, beginning with the origins in Africa and continuing through slavery, reconstruction, the civil rights era, the Harlem Renaissance and into the 21st century.

Highlights include the following:

Harriet Tubman collection, including her hymnal (c. 1876); lace shawl (c. 1897), given to her by Queen Victoria; and family photographs from her funeral

Travel Tips

No food and drink is allowed in the Museum. Bottled water is permitted. You may consume food and drinks in the Sweet Home Café, but not in other areas of the Museum. Groups who bring food are encouraged to picnic on the National Mall. Bag lunch facilities are not available in the Museum.